GORE-TEX Expanded Polyethylene debuts for fall 2022, promising long-lasting sturdiness, a decrease carbon footprint, and lighter weight.
Out of doors {industry} large GORE-TEX is so ubiquitous that even small adjustments to its patented weather-proofing know-how reverberate throughout numerous manufacturers and merchandise.
Due to that, at this time’s announcement by the Maryland-based textile chief of an all-new waterproof-breathable membrane — its hallmark know-how — will ship ripples throughout the {industry} and should change efficiency requirements in outerwear.
Lofty claims, to make sure, however at this time’s unveiling of expanded polyethylene (ePE) already has different {industry} titans shopping for in — together with Patagonia, Arc’teryx, and extra.
“GORE’s dedication to launching ePE straight helps our initiative to scale back our carbon impression by about 65% by 2030,” Arc’teryx director of superior analysis, Greg Grenzke, mentioned.
Grenzke teased that ePE would debut within the Arc’teryx line in its Ralle (males’s) and Coelle (ladies’s) jackets for fall 2022.
Right here’s what we learn about GORE’s newest wünder materials, ePE.
GORE-TEX ePE Membrane
GORE-TEX lauds ePE as “a key milestone in Gore’s ongoing sustainability journey.” And that sustainability ingredient is a major a part of each the impetus behind the innovation and types’ curiosity in it.
In keeping with GORE, ePE boasts a smaller carbon footprint than its conventional waterproof-breathable membranes. That is due to ePE’s extra diminutive profile — it has much less mass and fewer general materials, which interprets to much less vitality enter, water utilization, and carbon output.
Furthermore, the ePE membrane is PFC-free, a purpose that has quickly grow to be an industry-wide normal. This lighter membrane can even bond with chosen backers and face materials — like recycled, solution-dyed, or undyed supplies — to make sure the efficiency parts combine with quite a lot of sustainable product constructions.
“This was an ask and a stress we placed on our associates and companions at GORE for a very long time,” mentioned Kristo Torgersen, Patagonia’s mountains model and enterprise lead. “We noticed the way forward for waterproof breathables being in a non-fluorinated chemistry. We got down to get rid of PFCs from the membrane, however we bought a lot extra.”
Along with its environmental focus, GORE claims ePE possesses long-lasting garment life, totally windproof safety, excessive breathability, and sturdy waterproofing.
The place to Discover GORE-TEX ePE
Along with Arc’teryx’s Ralle and Coelle jackets, Patagonia will make use of ePE on its Storm Shift ski and snowboard shell kits.
The brand new membrane may also seem in quite a lot of each efficiency and way of life merchandise from Salomon, Dakine, Reusch, and Ziener.
Keep tuned, as GearJunkie will check GORE-TEX ePE in quite a lot of iterations to see the way it stacks up. Study extra about GORE-TEX ePE.
